1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pigtail assembly apparatus and method thereof, and in particular to an apparatus for automatically assembling pigtails.
2. Description of the Related Art
As active/passive optical components are developed, optical cables are widely used in long distance communications. Collimators are one of those important components, and each collimator has a pigtail and a GRIN lens. The light beam emitted from the pigtail passes through the GRIN lens, and then the collimator emits a collimated light beam.
FIG. 1 shows the cross section of an optical collimator. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber 10 includes a core portion 13 and a cladding layer 14. A glass capillary 12 grasps the optical fiber 10, forming a pigtail 16. A GRIN lens 11 has an inclination and is positioned in a ferrule 15 by using glue. The pigtail 10 is inserted into the ferrule 15. The distance between the GRIN lens 11 and the pigtail 16 is adjusted till the collimated light beam is obtained from the GRIN lens 11. Finally, all the elements constructing the collimator are fixed.
According to the structure in FIG. 1, the diameter of the optical fiber 10 is less than 0.2 mm, and the core portion 11 is 0.125 mm. The glass capillary is about 1.5xcx9c2 mm around and 8 mm long. Because the optical fiber 10 and the glass capillary 12 are thin and small, it is difficult to peel the cladding layer 14 from the optical fiber 10 and then insert the core portion 13 into the glass capillary 12. Conventional pigtail fibers are made by hand, requiring considerable labor, with limited efficiency, and frequently insufficient quality. Thus, the cost of the conventional pigtail fibers cannot be reduced.
Hence, there is a need for a pigtail fiber assembly apparatus to automatically manufacture pigtail fibers, increasing production efficiency and reducing costs.
Accordingly, an object of the invention provides an apparatus to automatically manufacture pigtails, shorten production time, increase yield and reduce cost.
The present invention provides a pigtail assembly apparatus inserting an optical fiber into a glass capillary, forming a pigtail fiber. The pigtail assembly apparatus includes a fiber-feeding module, a peeling module, a gluing module, an insertion module and a heating module, all controlled by a control module. The fiber-feeding module provides a predetermined length of optical fiber. The peeling module peels the cladding layer from one end of the optical fiber, exposing the core portion. The insertion module inserts the core portion of the optical fiber into a through hole of a glass capillary with adhesive. The heating module solidifies the adhesive, finally forming a pigtail.
The present invention also provides a method for operating the pigtail assembly apparatus. The method includes the fiber-feeding module providing a first length of optical fiber, providing a glass capillary, removal of a second length of the cladding layer of the optical fiber by the peeling module to expose the core portion, the gluing module providing adhesive in the recess of the glass capillary, insertion by the insertion module of the core portion of the optical fiber into the through hole, and the heating module solidifying the adhesive, thereby it forming a pigtail.
According to the invention, the fiber-feeding module includes a roller to hold a roll of the optical fiber, a motor driving the roller to release a predetermined length of the optical fiber, a first position sensor sensing the end of the optical fiber, a first clipper clipping the optical fiber and dragging it to the first position sensor when the motor stops, a second position sensor sensing the end of the optical fiber, a second clipper clipping the end of the optical fiber, and a cutter cutting the optical fiber to provide a first length of optical fiber.
Furthermore, the peeling module is a vise mechanism. The pigtail assembly apparatus further includes a cleaning module to clean the surface of the exposed core. The cleaning module includes a wiping mechanism and a supersonic cleaning machine. The gluing module is an injector with adhesive therein, comprising thermal-curing epoxy or UV-curing epoxy.
According to the invention, the pigtail assembly apparatus further includes a third clipper moving the glass capillary to a predetermined position, and a third position sensor inserting the core portion into the through hole of the glass capillary when sensing the third clipper in the predetermined position.
Moreover, the heating module is an infrared heater or an oven. The control module further includes a microprocessor.
A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.